ACHD official vents in email to ‘privileged’ Boise Highlands resident

Paul Woods (right), Ada County Highway District commissioner, smiles as he checks election results on his phone while standing with Boise Mayor Dave Bieter (middle) during a Democratic election-night party in November 2014 at The Grove Hotel. Woods won a seat on the commision that night. Kyle GreenIdaho Statesman file

Paul Woods (right), Ada County Highway District commissioner, smiles as he checks election results on his phone while standing with Boise Mayor Dave Bieter (middle) during a Democratic election-night party in November 2014 at The Grove Hotel. Woods won a seat on the commision that night. Kyle GreenIdaho Statesman file

Woods did tell me he maybe should’ve toned down the wording of his email to Mike Howard, but he didn’t exactly back off the substance of the message.

“I certainly could have done a better job of writing that email, but I did write it,” Woods said in a quick phone conversation Tuesday afternoon. “It wasn’t my intent to offend him or be as blunt. Generally, I try to communicate with people in the same way that they communicate with me. And, you know, obviously Mr. Howard took offense to some of that.”

On Wednesday morning, Woods left a voicemail in which he said he shouldn’t have sent the email.

Sign Up and Save

His email to Howard bounced around a few places before landing in my inbox Tuesday. A public records request to the highway district revealed it was part of a four-message back-and-forth.

Howard initiated contact with a Sept. 8 email to Woods. His message opened with the words “I’m writing to you today to express my outrage...” Howard went on to criticize a decision by Woods and his fellow commissioners to put a barrier across West Curling Drive at Braemere.

Braemere funnels traffic from homes east of Curling toward the larger street network. Woods told me a lot of drivers cross Curling and cut through the neighborhood on Braemere on their way to or from Hill Road and Bogus Basin Road. The commission’s unanimous decision, he said, was aimed at diverting those drivers from Braemere, which the district designates as a neighborhood-type road, on to Curling, a road that’s meant to move traffic to and from arterials.

Howard’s email indicated he lives on Harcourt Drive. If he is one of the drivers who uses Braemere as a corridor through the lower neighborhood, the barrier at Curling is an inconvenience. He told Woods he thinks the barrier will lead to greater traffic and resulting safety problems near Highlands Elementary School, located on the southeast corner of Bogus Basin Road and Curling Drive.

“You are not reducing traffic – simply moving it somewhere else,” Howard’s email reads. “You have taken traffic from its accepted and traditional pattern and now have increased the traffic elsewhere, which will certainly lead to unwanted outcomes... Do not, for an instant, believe that you are solving a problem. You are simply creating a problem for someone else.”

Woods’ response the next day voices some frustration:

“First off, there are plenty of things in this world that people should be outraged over, but the minor traffic change for those privileged such as yourself living in the Highlands in Boise, Idaho is not one of them,” he said. “I have watched the traffic and the minor change to residents like you is paltry and would be laughed at by most tax payers in Ada County. Those such as yourself who can’t tolerate the most minor change in your schedule are hiding behind kids’ safety which is sad for the kids and for the future.”

Howard took exception to Woods’ tone:

“Bottom line, I am a tax payer in Ada County and you represent my district,” he responded. “If you disagree with me, lay out your argument and be done with it (which is what I did in my email to you). There is no need to cast aspersions on me based on where I live.”

On the other hand, I understand that Woods might’ve been frustrated about yet another email from a Highlands resident second-guessing a decision he seems to hold a pretty firm stance on. As he admitted, he could’ve used more tact. The question is whether he, as an elected official, is held to a higher standard than the people — like Mike Howard — that he serves.

Here’s what he told Howard on that topic:

“I am a taxpayer just like you, so being a taxpayer does not give you some special status over me.”

Read Next

Do a basic Google search for Ann Morrison, Julia Davis, Cassia or just about any Boise park and a bunch of reviews will pop up. For the most part, these reviews are positive. An average rating for a Boise park is around 4.5 stars out of 5. But the outliers are more fun to read.